Rail Unions End Strike in Spain over Safety Measures

In a significant development following several high-profile rail accidents last month, Spain’s main unions for rail workers have called off their three-day nationwide strike. The decision comes after authorities agreed to boost investments and reinforce staffing in response to ongoing concerns about the state of the country’s rail infrastructure.

Last month, consecutive derailments and crashes left dozens dead, fueling public scrutiny of Spain’s railways. Among these incidents were a high-speed train crash in southern Andalusia that killed 46 people on January 18th and another derailment in northeastern Catalonia that claimed the life of a train driver two days later.

In a statement, the union for railway drivers, SEMAF, announced it had achieved all of its demands through an agreement with authorities. The deal addressed day-to-day safety concerns raised by drivers across all railway companies, including infrastructure investment, establishment of working groups, and enhanced safety procedures.

The Transport Ministry, railway operator Adif, and state-owned rail company Renfe committed to implementing measures aimed at significantly improving safety management. However, they did not specify concrete measures in the statement.

Trade unions CCOO and UGT, who represent the country’s biggest trade union bloc, urged their members in the railway sector to follow through on the agreed-upon measures. Meanwhile, smaller unions CGT and Sindicato Ferroviario stated they would continue striking until Wednesday due to exclusion from discussions and lack of information regarding the terms of the deal.

The move resulted in some cancellations and delays but with high minimum service levels maintained: 73% for long-distance trains during rush hours, 75% for commuter services during peak times, and 50% during off-peak periods.

Earlier this week, passengers at Barcelona’s main station, Sants, were checking electronic boards for cancelled services, though the Transport Ministry had set these as high minimums to ensure basic rail service was available.

“For me, it’s a relief that safety is getting priority,” said 52-year-old French commuter François Monti. “I’m booked on a train leaving in an hour, and I hope it will actually run.”

While there were some disruptions due to the strike, many commuters like Mr. Monti understood the necessity of ensuring safety measures are properly implemented.